Hospice by the Bay's public campaign on End of Life conversations yields unprecedented results

Chamber member Hospice by the Bay's recent public campaign to motivate people to "have the conversation" about end-of-life issues has garnered unprecedented interest from the public.

The campaign, which ran from late Nov. through early Jan. 2017, proposed that individuals make a "deal" with their loved ones to talk about the topic, and drove readers to www.wehelpyoudeal.org for information and useful tips. The ads ran on both digital platforms and in print media.

Digital ad tracking indicated a high level of audience engagement - 480% more than the industry standard - a highly unusual response for a topic that is difficult for most people to talk about.

According to CEO Kitty Whitaker, about 50% of healthy families are reluctant to discuss end-of-life issues. Reasons include fear and emotions, reliance on family members to make decisions - or lack of trust that the family will honor one's wishes, cultural issues, age, spiritual beliefs, and misunderstanding about the legal aspects.

"The sooner the conversation is held, the better," she explains. "It helps everyone - the family, doctors and emergency medical professionals. You never know when a health crisis might occur, so it is very important to determine your own future ahead of time. As hospice providers, we know first-hand that the more prepared one is, the better the outcome for everyone."

To learn more about the ad campaign and Hospice by the Bay's patient care and educational services, visit the website at www.hospicebythebay.org. For more information about having "the conversation," visit www.wehelpyou deal.org